Buckle for neckties



Oct. 5, 1937. A) SQRKIND 2,094,857

BUCKLE FOR NEGKT IES Filed May 26, 1956 sham Sop-kind 4,2 I g; WW mil,

' fi ely Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES FA'EENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to a buckle or clasp of a type used mainly with garments.

An object and feature of my invention is the construction of a clasp or buckle which is quite thin, being barely thicker than the eyes or loops by which the buckle or clasp may be secured to fabric strips to be attached by the clasp and also in which the clasp or buckle from one side to the other is but little thicker than a folded strip of metal.

Another object and feature of my invention is the construction of a clasp or buckle in which two substantially parallel strips of thin sheet metal or equivalent material joined at their edges form a thin and flat socket in which a single flat tonguelike member may be inserted to attach the two parts of the clasp together. Therefore by this construction the whole clasp from the front to the back is but Very little thicker than the thickness of the three strips of metal or other equivalent material. Therefore by my construction the clasp is very suitable for use in garments on account of its compactness and also on account of being quite thin, the clasp is unobjec- 25 tionable when worn with garments. A particular field of usefulness for this clasp is in attaching the two ends of a neckband of a necktie in which on account of having the clasp so thin it may fit snugly around a collar or the neckband of a shirt without being uncomfortable.

Another object and feature of my invention is the construction of the socket portion of the clasp mainly of two flat sheet metal strips secured at their side edges in which one of the strips is slightly longer considered lengthwise-with the buckle than the other and the second. strip has an inturned edge, both strips preferably having a perforation for operating the tongue on'the single plate inserted in the socket. Such single plate has a tongue formed by slits in the plate, the tongue being attached adjacent the front edge of such plate and the tongue sprung sidewise so that when the single plate is inserted in the socket the tongue is pressed into the plane of the plate and then by its resiliency springs outwardly to catch underneath the inturned edge of one of the sides of the socket part of the clasp. The perforations or openings at the side of the socket member are for manipulating the tongue to disengage the clasp or if desired to push it positively into engaged position.

Another feature of my invention is forming the inturned edge of the socket portion of the clasp in the manner of a hook in which the tongue is positively engaged and must be retracted from the hook before it can be released. Another detail feature of my invention is forming the eyes for attaching the fabric in a manner for readily disconnecting such eyes so that the cloth loop can be readily disconnected from the clasp or buckle. 5

My invention is illustrated in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the buckle or clasp attached to the neckband of a necktie.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the clasp taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the linev 38 of Figure 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the plug or insert member of the clasp.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the socket member of the clasp.

Figure? is a detail of the removable eye or loop, partly disassembled.

Figure 8 is an elevation of a modification of the buckle taken in the direction of the arrow 8 of Figure 9.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of my invention using the socket member of Figure 9 with the inturned hook and the insert member of Figure 5 with the integral tongue.

Figure 11 is an elevation of the eye taken in the direction of the arrow I I of Figure '7.

Figure 12 is a transverse section on the line I2-l2 of Figure 11. 35

Figure 13 is a transverse section on the line Iii-13 of Figure 11.

Dealing first with the construction of Figures 1 through 6, the socket member H of the clasp' is made from a single sheet of metal or equivalent material in which there is a back plate I! and a front plate It joined by the end loop Hi which forms an eye indicated at M. The marginal edges of the back plate l2 are bent over at the sides as indicated at it forming a slight overlap [1 on the front plate and thus attaching such plates together. The front plate has an inturned rim 58, which is an important feature of my invention, thereby leaving a space l9 between the extended end 20 of the back plate and the edge of this inturned rim. The front plate I3 is provided with an opening M which for convenience is rectangular in shape. The back plate I2 is also formed. with an opening 22. This opening is in reality not necessary but it is a matter of convenience behind the hook 45.

and has a useful function at times in adjusting the latch or clasps as hereinunder detailed.

The insert or plug element of the clasp designated 25 is constructed of a flat insert plate'26 which has the outer end bent to form an eye 27. The metal has a slight outward divergence indicated at 28 so that the eye from side to side may be the same measurement as the eye I formed on the socket member. The measurement 29 across the width of the plate 26 is slightly less than the inside measurement between the inturned side edges [6 of the socket member. A

tongue 30 is made by forming two parallel slits- 3! and a transverse slit 32 in theflat plate 26. If desired these may be made by punches cutting away a desired portion of the metal. .Therefore the tongue is integrally connected with the main body of the insert plate 26 adjacent the inner margin 33. The plate 26 and the tongue 38 is preferably made of spring or resilient material so that the tongue has a natural oifset as indicated at 34 (Figure 3) from the'plane of the plate The loops 35 are constructed by having a sleeve 7 36 with a U shaped wire 3'! secured to one end portion indicated at 33, this wire having a free end 39 to fit in one of the eyes 45 or 21. A second U shaped wire 40 has preferably a long arm M and a short arm 42, the long arm fitting in the sleeve 36 and the short arm in the opposite end of one of the eyes 55 or 2?, thus these'loops may be detachably connected to the buckle, however having a snug'operating fit.

In Figures 8 and 9 the construction of the buckle or claspis substantially the same as in Figures 2 through 6, so far as the socket member is concerned, the front plate i3 having an inturned rim it, but this rim has a continuation:

45 inwardly forming in effect a hook designated at 45.. This forms a space 47 between the hook part 46 and the front plate [2.

In this construction the insert member 59 has a flat plateii with a tongue 52 connected thereto by a small hinge 53, this hinge having a spring indicated at 5 1 which may be coiled on the pintle of the hinge to force the tongue 52 to one side,

that is, out of the plane of the plate member 5|.

In thisconstruction the space 41 must be sufficient to allow insertion of the hinge 53 which may be formed on the end of the plate 5|. The tongue 52 is compressed into the plane of the plate, such plate having an openingfor this purpose, then the spring forces the tongue outwardly and by a slight outward pulling. on the insert member the free end of the tongue 52 engages It will be obvious however, that in this construction if desired an insert member such as 25 with the flat plate 26 and the resilient tongue 35 may be utilized, in which case the hook 4% gives a slightly more positive locking of the two members of the clasp than in the simple form of Figure 3.

The manner of operation, and functioning of,

the buckle or clasp is as follows: In inserting the plate member 26 in the socket member the offset tongue faces the front portion 13 of the clasp; the extension 28 of the back plate i E'guides the plate'fifi in its'insertion, the inturned rim l8 presses the tongue 33 into the plane of the plate 26 and as soon as the free end of the tongue passes the inturned rim IE it springs outwardly towards the front plate I3 and engages behind the rim it as shown in Figure 3 and when so engaged the two members of the clasp cannot be pulled apart except by using sufiicient force to destroy the clasp or buckle. The purpose of having the opening 22 in the back plate is that occasionally some dirt or threads or a portion of fabric may lodgebehind the inturned rim l8 preventing the tongue 35 springing into clasping position and therefore by inserting the fingernail through the opening 22 this tongue may forcibly be pressed to one side to engage the inturned rim. The purpose of the front opening El-in the front plate I3 is for disengaging the clasp. The finger or thumbnail may be inserted through this opening and press thetongue 30 from engagement with the inturned rim i8 into the plane of the plate 26 whence the plate member 26 may be removed through theopening I9. It will be appreciated that this clasp may be made quite thin as it is only necessary to have this opening is sufficiently wide to accommodate the thin plate 25 with its tongue and the in-' turned rim it need only besuificiently wide to engage the free end of the tongue. appreciated that in Figure 3 the thickness and dimensions of the metal have been exaggerated.

In the construction of Figures 8 and 9 on account of having the hook 56, it is usually necessary to make such type of buckle slightly thicker especially where the tongue is hinged'to the inner end of the flat plate. With this arrangement the plug portion of the device indicated as the insert member 5@ is thrust into the socket until the tongue passes the inner end of the hook. The spring on the pintle of the tongue then forces thefree end of the tongue towards the front plate i3, then a slight separating pull on the two parts of the buckle causes the free end of the tongue to slip behind the hook Q6, thus giving an effective and positive lock of the tongue in the socket member of the clasp. In disconnecting this type of buckle it'is necessary to first thrust the insert portion of the clasp further into the socket member and then through the opening 2| thrust the tongue to one side to align it with the fiat plate and then pull the insert member out of the socket portion of the clasp.

In the construction of Figure the socket portion of the clasp is the same as shown in Figure 9, that is, with the inturned hook formed'on the end of the front plate 53 and the insert member 25 is the same as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5 in which the tongue is formed integral with the flat plate 25 and due to its resiliency has a spring tension to one side to thereby engage underneath theihook 46. V

In Figure 1 I' show an application 'of this type of clasp to a garment, this being illustrated as a necktie 59 having a neckband 5!, with one part 52 extending from the knot 63 and a second part (i l also extending from the knot. The clasp is connected by the loops 35 to the portions of the neckband, therefore these can readily be attached and detached and on account of the clasp being so thin substantially no thicker than the folded portion 55 of the ends of the neckband, this clasp may fit snugly and comfortably in a foldover collar. It is obvious that this type of fiat buckle or clasp is suitable for many other types of garments.

In Figures '7, 11, 12 and 13 I show details of the preferred form of the eye or loop 35. In this ar- It will be rangement the sleeve 36 is mainly cylindrical in a cross sectionand its upperportion has a longicontact. The lower portion has a longitudinal split II in which the edges may be slightly spaced apart. At one side there is a lateral notch or cut-out section [2. The end of the part having the split H is slightly beveled at the top as indicated at 13 and also beveled at the bottom as indicated at 14. The second U shaped wire 40 on its long arm 4! has an enlarged foot 75. This foot has a beveled or wedge shaped toe structure 16. In the operation of this disconneotable eye or loop the upper U shaped wire 31 is secured tightly in the sleeve by the upper portion of the sleeve being pressed tight so that the split it) is closed or nearly closed. This end may be cylindrical if desired and have the U shaped end 31 secured therein in any suitable manner, however, by making the longitudinal splits ill and H, the sleeve may be made from a flat piece of metal bent to shape. When it is desired to fit the lower U shaped wire 48 in place, the foot 15 is inserted in the lower end of the lower portion of the sleeve with the toe portion it extending towards the split H. The beveled ends M guide this toe portion so that the foot with the toe may be pressed upwardly in the lower portion of the sleeve, the toe sliding in the split 1 I. This portion of the sleeve being resilient, the toe may spread the same apart. When the foot portion enters the notch 12, the wedging toe leaves the upper end of the split H and this lower part of the sleeve may thus contract, the enlarged foot thereby engaging in the notch 12 prevents the lower U shaped section 45 from accidently pulling out of the sleeve. The two end portions 39 and 42 may thus be used to attach to a stitched and folded part of a garment such as 65. When it is desired to remove this type of eye or loop from the garment, the lower U shaped strip 4%! may be pulled outwardly in the sleeve, the foot 15 and the toe portion 16 increasing the width of the split H on account of the wedging action of the toe and thus allow removal of this entire lower U shaped strip of the eye or loop assembly.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clasp comprising a socket member having two flat plates connected by a reverse fold at the closed end, said plates being parallel, the front plate having an inturned rim, there being a space between the rim and the back plate, an insert member comprising a flat plate having a tongue connected thereto adjacent the leading end of the flat plate which is first inserted in the socket member, the flat plate with the tongue being insertable in the said space between the inturned rim and the back plate, the tongue having the characteristic of a tension to spring the tongue out of the plane of the insert fiat plate whereby the free end of the tongue engages the said inturned rim and thereby prevents removal of the insert from the socket member of t...e clasp, the said tongue being held in substantially the plane of the flat insert plate when passing through the said space by engagement of the fiat plate and the tongue between the back plate and the inturned rim.

2. A clasp as claimed in claim 1, the said space between the inturned rim and the back plate being substantially only sufficient to allow insertion of the insert fiat plate when the tongue occupies the plane of said insert plate and the said rim being substantially only sufficient toengage the free end of the tongue whereby the clasp may be made but little thicker than the thickness of the front and back plate and the insert plate.

3. A clasp as claimed in claim 1, the said inturned rim having a reverse bend therein forming an internal hook in the socket member whereby the tongue of the insert member engages in the said hook.

4. A clasp having in combination a socket member with a back plate and a front plate connected together by an end loop at their closed end, the said plates being parallel, the front plate having an inturned rim, the back plate having an end extended slightly beyond said rim, there being a space between the rim and the said extension, an insert member having a flat insert plate with a leading end for insertion in the said space, a tongue connected to the flat plate adjacent its leading end, the tongue having the characteristic of a spring tension to have its free end spring out of the plane of the insert plate, the said extension of the back plate forming a guide for inserting the insert plate into the socket member; the said inturned rim being adapted to press the tongue into the plane of the insert plate on insertion of the flat insert plate and tongue through said space, the tongue when properly inserted in the socket member being adapted to spring out of the plane of the insert plate to engage the free end of the tongue with the inturned rim and thereby prevent separation of the socket and insert members.

5. A clasp as claimed in claim 4, the said inturned rim having a reverse bend with a portion forming a hook, the said insert plate and the tongue requiring insertion in the socket member whereby the free end of the tongue clears the inner edge oi" the hook, the tongue then springing towards the front plate whereby on an outward movement of the insert plate and tongue, the free end of the tongue engages behind the hook.

6. A clasp as claimed in claim 4, the said tongue being connected to the flat plate of the insert member by a hinge and a spring forming the means for developing the spring tension to move the free end of the tongue away from the plane of the insert plate.

7. In a clasp having a socket member formed of two strips of sheet metal spaced apart, one having an inturned rim at the end, there being a space between the rim and the other plate, an insert member having a flat plate, a tongue connected to said flat plate by a hinge, the hinge being adjacent the portion of the insert plate first inserted in said opening, a spring acting between the tongue and the insert plate to move the free end of the tongue out of the plane of the said insert plate whereby after insertion of the insert plate with its tongue the free end of the tongue engages the said inturned rim.

8. In a clasp as claimed in claim '7, the said socket member having openings in both of the strips thereof whereby should the spring fail to engage the tongue with the inturned rim, said tongue may be passed into engagement with the by inserting the finger through one of the openings and the tongue may be dislodged from the rim by inserting the finger through the other opening for removal of the insert plate with the tongue from the socket niember.

9. A clasp formed of a front and a back plate of sheet metal connected together at one end and spaced apart, the front plate having an inturned rim with an opening or a space between the rim the insert p-late'to engage the inturned rim, the

other opening being adapted for insertion of the finger to dislodge the tongue from the inturned rim for removal of the insert member from the.

socket.

10. A clasp as claimed in claim 9,'the inturned rim having a reverse bend forming a hook, the free end of the tongue being adapted to engage behind the said hook.

ABRAHAM SORKIND. 

